Livermore: Two more suspicious fires, days after teen arrested on arson charges

Burned trees are removed from the aftermath of what is being called a suspicious fire along the Arroyo Mocho in Livermore, Calif., on Thursday, June 12, 2014. Joe Testa, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department battalion chief and incident commander, said the 4-acre fire was the second of the the day in the park. Four agencies responded to the incident, which started shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday and flared again around 2 a.m. Thursday. The cause is under investigation and Testa encouraged anyone with information to contact the Livermore police. (Cindi Christie/Bay Area News Group)

LIVERMORE -- Days after a teen was arrested on suspicion of arson, officials were investigating two new fires that burned nearly six hours apart Wednesday in Sunset Park.

No injuries were reported and crews brought the blazes under control before they could reach nearby housing, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Battalion Chief Joe Testa said. Crews from Alameda County Fire, Camp Parks and Cal Fire also helped to put the fires out.

The first blaze started around 2 p.m. and burned less than a quarter-acre of vegetation. The second, at 7:50 p.m., burned four acres and was potentially more dangerous because it torched trees heavy with fuel, Testa said.

"Because both of these fires were suspicious, we're taking it pretty seriously," Testa said. "We're checking out the parks, and police are going to be increasing patrols. We're definitely concerned."

The second fire briefly flared again around 2 a.m. Thursday and crews were at the scene through the afternoon to remove approximately 20 trees.

"A number of the trees are burning from the inside out, and those trees are hazardous," Testa said. "They need to come down for safety reasons."

Both fires were considered suspicious and started within yards of each other in a field near the corner of Florence Road and Anza Way, Testa said. The park runs along the Arroyo Mocho between College Avenue and Anza Way and is a popular walking and biking area surrounded by neighborhoods.

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A 17-year-old boy was arrested Monday on suspicion of eight counts of arson after police said he admitted to starting eight vegetation fires in Livermore over the past month. Those blazes were in the north and south areas of the city at various locations. None of those eight fires were near Sunset Park.

Fire officials are concerned that more fires could follow and will continue to patrol the area throughout Thursday.

Testa urged citizens to be alert and report anything that looks suspicious to the Livermore Police Department.